Wondering where to find fresh nutrient-packed local produce, eggs, honey or meats? Calaverasgrown.org is your one-stop shop for all things agricultural in Calaveras County. We are a nonprofit organization committed to assisting local agricultural producers with the marketing of their products.

Calaveras Grown began in 2002 through the dedicated work of a group of Calaveras County producers committed to expanding demand for locally grown and processed foods while increasing the production and processing of food in Calaveras County. Ranchers, egg-producers, worm farmers, wool producers, vegetable farmers, backyard gardeners and the University of California Cooperative Extension came together to create a program that has worked for more than 10 years to improve the visibility of Calaveras County agriculture and our producers’ products in the eyes of residents, tourists and consumers at large.

The group has implemented various programs and strategies over the years in order to achieve its mission. We began with a farm trails map depicting local farms that could be visited to tour the grounds – as in the case of Dragonfly Peony Farm in Wilseyville – or purchase products, such as eggs from Galaxy Farms in San Andreas. We have also hosted agricultural production workshops, where experienced producers share their practices and knowledge with novices and the rest of the agricultural community. We worked for the inclusion of agricultural zoning in the county and continue to work toward the inclusion of agriculture in Calaveras County’s General Plan. In recent years, we have hosted two ACT events – Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne – in order to build community and create productive partnerships between our neighboring counties. In 2010, conversations with ranchers, both within our organization and in surrounding counties, showed us the need for a regional United States Department of Agricul-ture-inspected livestock harvest and processing facility. We applied for and received a $50,000 grant from USDA Rural Development in order to investigate the feasibility of and plan for such a facility. This work determined that the facility is indeed feasible, went a long way toward planning the facility and produced a never-before created database (available at motherlodemeats.com) in order to help other communities plan for a facility of their own. Work continues toward this facility, which will enhance the availability of regionally produced meat products by providing a service to area ranchers that will help them improve profitability and allow them to continue stewarding the open space both residents and tourists alike value for the beauty and tranquility of the rural landscape these spaces provide.

Calaveras Grown is committed to working for the good of this community and its agriculturalists today and into the future. The all-volunteer eight-member board of directors meets every other month to discuss upcoming events, workshops, issues pertinent to agriculture in our region and plans for the future. In an effort to provide for the future of youth in our county, Calaveras Grown makes two $500 scholarships available each year to graduating high school students who are going on to college or trade school. Recently the organization partnered with the Calaveras Enterprise to provide the general public with a regular column focusing on our organization, our producers and issues affecting agriculture in our county.

Today, Calaveras Grown continues to work toward its mission of developing an expanded demand for locally grown and processed foods, increasing agricultural production profitability and opportunity, enhancing economic development and stability in Calaveras County and creating a more sustainable community. Calaveras Grown has more than 50 producer members, two sustaining members – Ironstone Vineyards and the Oneto Ranch – and an ever-growing number of supporting members.